


runaways

by orphan_account



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, F/M, Gangs, Guns, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, Peridot - Freeform, Present Tense, Running Away, School Shootings, Slow Burn, Tags May Change, Violence, Warnings May Change, honestly i have no idea where im going with this, its like a warrior cats clan except with humans, kind of, steven universe (fandom) - freeform, talking about jaspame when i say that cough, that was a weird comparison but whatever, theyre kind of in a gang but not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-07-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:35:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24514735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: After being kicked out of her house, Peridot has nowhere to go.That's when she meets Steven Universe, a young boy who lives in the woods.Peridot meets the rest of the "Crystal Gems", people who live in the woods—all of them intriguing; especially the blue-haired girl with a dark past.Everyone runs from something, don't they?
Relationships: Amethyst/Jasper (Steven Universe), Bismuth/Pearl (Steven Universe), Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Lapis Lazuli/Peridot (Steven Universe), Rose Quartz/Greg Universe
Comments: 22
Kudos: 55





	1. fever dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot, after being kicked out of her house, meets a mysterious young boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cries  
> another lapidot multi-chapter fic  
> i totally dont have a bad history of starting stories and never finishing them ahaha  
> especially in stories that i only have very vague ideas of,,,
> 
> help me please

fever dream - mxmtoon

Peridot stumbles down the steps, sprawled on the ground.

"Out!" her mother barks, anger etched on her face. "You disgrace!"

"Mom, please," Peridot sobs, "I'm not even sure, I—"

"No," her father growls. "Just these thoughts are bad enough!"

The door slams in front of Peridot's face. She picks up the few belongings she was able to take and huddles them close, tears running fast down her face.

"Stupid," she mumbles to herself. "You just _had_ to tell them before you got a job."

The blonde stands up angrily, dropping the sack with her things. "What's wrong with you? You're supposed to like boys!" she yells at herself. "N-not girls..."

Slumping against the wall of her former house, she chokes out, "But they're so pretty..."

Attempting to pick herself up, Peridot trips over the hard, bumpy dirt of her yard. She has to go to the city. That's where people find themselves.

She follows the road quietly, without a car, mumbling incoherent phrases to herself.

* * *

Peridot is tired.

Her hands are sore, even though the only thing in them is the penny someone had carelessly flicked at her. Her feet are sore from walking to the city, walking through the city, and now walking from the city because there are no unoccupied benches there. Each tiny wooden seat is covered by the sleeping figure of someone else with no home.

Peridot gulps. No home.

She kicks a rock, her sight following its path. It goes into the bushes, where no one will find it.

The blonde turns around, about to leave, when she hears a voice from behind her.

"Hey," the voice squeaks. It sounds young, younger than Peridot, and male. She turns around, and lo and behold, a boy is standing behind her.

He has curly, brown hair, up to the nape of his neck—which is almost nonexistent. The boy is chubby, definitely, and clad in a black shirt with a star on it. He wears a pink jacket on top, small white stripes in several areas. His plain jeans are completed with reddish-pink sandals.

"Who are you?" Peridot and the boy cry out at the same time. Peridot takes a step back. The boy looks like he's lives in the woods his entire life. Dirt is streaked all over his face.

"I'm Steven," the boy answers brightly. "Steven Universe!"

Peridot blinks. "Why do you look like you..." She waves her hand around, gesturing towards him, implying his... wood-iness. 

Steven tilts his head slightly. "I'm part of the Crystal Gems," he shrugs. "We live in the woods."

Peridot blinks again, more harshly this time. "Wh-what?!"

"Oh, yeah," Steven continues. "I've lived in the woods my entire life. Everyone else is running from _something._ What are you running from?"

Peridot frowns. "I'm not running from anything!" she retorts.

"Are you sure? Definitely looks like you're running."

Peridot drops her defensive stance. Steven looks like a trustworthy character, but she couldn't just tell him everything.

Not that there was much to tell.

"I, um, got kicked out of my house," Peridot mumbles. "For thinking I was gay."

"What do you mean _thinking_ you were gay?"

"I'm not, okay?!"

Steven shrugs. "Whatever you say."

His words make Peridot feel even sicker. _Whatever I say..._

"You can join us," Steven suggests.

Peridot laughs. "I'm not joining some random people going crazy in the woods."

Steven shrugs again. "Fine," he responds, turning on his heel.

"Wait!" Peridot exclaims. Steven looks at her intently. "Er, if I wanted to join— _not_ saying that I'm going to—how would I contact you? I'm Peridot, by the way."

Steven grins. "Just follow the train, Peridot. Hop on to it. You'll find us in the sunflower fields," he answers. The boy turns away quickly.

"What? Hold up!" Peridot calls, but Steven is already gone.

* * *

The second day is over, and Peridot is still contemplating what Steven said to her.

 _"Everyone is running from_ something _. What are you running from?"_

"What am I running from?" Peridot whispers to herself, looking at her shaking hands.

_I want something more, don't I?_

_This is my choice._

_I should enjoy my life._

Mindlessly, she walks to the outskirts of the train station. The train is just about to leave. This is her chance.

_Nobody else is giving me a chance._

_Steven is._

Without thinking, the blonde jumps on to the train. Her ankle bangs on to the edge of the vehicle, but other than that, she is uninjured. The train car is empty, except the small haystack in the corner.

 _I'm actually doing this_ _._

_Oh stars._

Peridot huddles up, pulling her knees to her chest. She winces when her foot touches the floor again.

"Oh, shit," she mumbles. Hopefully Steven will know how to fix her ankle; Peridot is pretty sure it's sprained.

 _This is my chance_ _._

Peridot finds herself falling asleep. It's about four in the morning, and she hasn't slept since she left her house. Her eyes close drowsily, and soon she's dreaming of sunflowers and the stars.

* * *

Sunlight streams into the train car, hitting Peridot's face. The blonde's eyes flutter open, taking in the view.

A field of sun-dipped sunflowers is all she can see.

Peridot stumbled towards the front of the car. She would have to jump off if she saw Steven. _Jump_ off. The blonde attempts to calculate how dangerous that is.

 _Hmm, what about_ very _dangerous - can potentially_ kill _me dangerous?_

She sighs, knowing she doesn't have an option. The boy's offer was like a magnet, with Peridot a simple paper clip, hungry for something to cling to. She couldn't stop thinking about it—it was the offer of a lifetime, now that her days were probably numbered.

_Either that, or they don't really matter._

Steven had mentioned other people. Peridot gulped nervously, anxiety getting the better of her.

Soon, the blonde sees figures in the distance. One in particular is all too familiar. Steven runs towards the train, waving his hand wildly.

"Jump!" he yells, confirming what Peridot thought she had to do. What she _really_ didn't want to do.

Peridot steps closer to the edge gingerly. Her foot still aches, but there's not much she can do about it. She can only hope that there's some sort of medic in Steven's little gang.

_1, 2, 3-_

"Jump!" Steven yells again. Peridot follows his voice with the action. She tumbles into the grass, rolling through the flowers.

"Peridot!" the curly-haired boy yelps. He laughs. "You're okay! Wait, are you hurt-?"

The blonde waves it off. "N-no, it's fine."

Steven pulls Peridot up. She now has a better view of everyone. A squat, pudgy girl with whitish-purple hair and honey-brown skin is right behind Steven, her hand covering her mouth, trying not to laugh. A few snickers reach Peridot ears, causing her to blush. A stocky yet tall girl is eyeing Peridot, her gaze friendly, her thick dreadlocks the colors of the rainbow. And finally, in the back, is a blue-haired girl with empty, half-lidded eyes of the same color, just darker. She looks like she doesn't have a care in the world, yet her eyes show a different story.

"This is Peridot!" Steven grins, pointing at her. Peridot's face gets warmer every second. She grabs at her sack, pulling it close to her chest.

"Is this everyone?" Peridot asks cautiously.

Steven shakes his head. "This is only, like, half of us! There's more at camp."

"Camp?"

The rainbow-haired girl chuckles. "You haven't told her much, have you, Steven?"

"He's told me plenty," Peridot retorts.

"Okay, shorty," the girl grins. "I'm Bismuth."

"Amethyst," the short one chimes.

Peridot looks expectantly at the blue-haired girl. She stays silent.

Amethyst gestures towards the woods, a short walk away from where they are. "C'mon, Peridot, you've gotta meet the rest of us!"

Steven nods, starting towards the trees. Peridot sighs, following.

Soon enough, the canopy of the trees is over Peridot. She mumbles regret to herself as Steven pushes through a patch of leaved brambles, the opening to the clearing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feedback is appreciated ":)


	2. heathens

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot meets the rest of the forest people, or as Steven called them, the "Crystal Gems."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay im going to admit it all the chapters are basically just song-fics  
> i have a playlist and everything  
> except i dont have all the chapters so kjkjshfdjdkk

heathens - twenty-one pilots

The clearing is definitely a sight.

Steven holds pride in it, since it is the place he was born and raised in. He knows every nook and cranny, every tree and every bramble. The young boy can’t tell what the expression on Peridot’s face means, but he hopes cheerfully that it’s awe.

"You really do live in the woods...” she breathes, glancing around."No, duh!" Amethyst laughs from behind them. "He said we lived in the woods, didn’t he?"

Trees are scattered around the camp, usually accompanied by bushes. A ring of wooden cabins, created by Steven’s parents, decorate the middle of the clearing.

"This looks like a summer camp,” Peridot mutters, eyeing the cabins.

"Oh, yeah, those cabins were kinda based off of cabins from a summer camp," Bismuth explains.

"You should meet everyone!" Steven grins. "Just don’t make any loud noises. Those trigger a few people here. And Connie has trust issues. But—"

"Wh-what?" Peridot stammers, stepping back.

"Everyone might question you a little. Bis and Amethyst were really excited to meet you, and, well—"

"We should get going," says the blunette in the back. Bangs cover her half-lidded, dark blue eyes; an empty, unreadable expression on her face. She pushes past the shrubs, the first to step into the clearing, tossing the gun that was hidden by her shirt into the bushes.

Steven notices Pearl, a tall, pale woman, watching them closely—specifically the limping blonde, who was also going into the clearing.

"Steven," she comes closer, manuvering around Peridot. "You should give that girl some medical attention. Her foot is injured."

"Oh, of course!" Steven proclaims, following Peridot. "Hey, Peri!"

Peridot cringes, hesitantly turning around. "Yes?"

"Do you want to meet everyone first or do you want me to fix your ankle?"

Peridot narrows her eyes. " _You’re_ the medic?"

Steven nods, confusion apparent on his face.

"Er... I’ll meet everyone first," she answers, looking around nervously.

Steven grins. "Great! Amethyst has probably finished calling everyone out—"

"Oh—"

Steven grabs Peridot’s hand, pulling her towards the middle of the entire camp: what looks like a fire pit. He sits down on a log, patting the seat next to him gently, gesturing Peridot to sit next to him.

The blonde sits down reluctantly, still glancing at everyone like they were about to kill her.

"Greg can’t come right now," Amethyst whispers, slipping in next to Steven.

"But he’s coming later, right?"

"I dunno. He’s kinda busy right now."

Steven sighs. He looks at Peridot. "Hey, just be a little wary, okay? This guys have some pretty interesting backgrounds, and not all of them might trust you. Just take it slow."

The blonde nods.

Steven smiles. "All right. Introduction time!"

Peridot still has a frown on her face, but the curly-haired teenager continues anyway.

"This is Amethyst," he grins, pointing his thumb at the lilac-haired girl next to him.

"Yo," she greets, raising up a hand.

Peridot simply nods at her, fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Amethyst ran away because she didn’t agree with her family’s ideals," Steven explains. "They agreed with Homeworld."

Peridot looks closer at Amethyst. "...my parents did, too. They do. Agree, I m-mean. They still agree with Homeworld."

Amethyst gives Peridot a curious look. "Which Diamond?"

Peridot sighs. "They wanted me to work for Yellow Diamond after I finished college."

Steven smiles. "Great, you're all getting along!" He looks over to Bismuth. "Bismuth wanted to make weapons, but she came from a family of strictly builders."

Bismuth beams at Peridot.

"Over there’s Jasper, her family kicked her out because she failed to do a task, also related to Homeworld."

Jasper, a large woman with whitish-blonde hair, a slightly broken nose, and vitiligo, gives Peridot a toothy grin. Peridot reciprocates with a weak smile.

"Did you support Homeworld?" asks Jasper.

"I... guess?" Peridot answers slowly. "I thought that working for _Yellow Diamond_ was amazing—it could help me in the future! But I guess... I never really agreed with her."

Jasper nods. "I worked for Yellow Diamond too, as a side job. After Pink Diamond left."

"Pearl," Steven nods at the lanky woman who was watching them earlier. When Jasper mentioned Pink, her eyes had widened, but now she's back into the original conversation. The glare she gives the blonde can only be deemed suspicious.

"Hello," she says tightly. Peridot nods at her.

Steven explains, "She followed my mom out here after I was born."

A silence creeps over all of them.

"Okay...?" Peridot says, confused.

"Mom died last year," Steven whispers.

"Oh..." Peridot blinks. "I’m so sorry..."

Steven clears his throat. "Anyway! That’s Garnet," he says, pointing at a woman with an Afro and shades, who responds simply by raising her hand up.

Peridot nods at her.

"Um... there’s Connie." Steven glances at a girl around his age, with dark brown skin, braided black hair, and a sad, serious look on her face. "Connie, should I...?"

"My dad owned a hotel," Connie explains, looking straight at Peridot, her expression not the friendliest. “I let the wrong people in. Now both my parents are dead.”

"Oh..." Peridot blinks. "I... oh. I’m very sorry for your loss."

"'Sorry' won’t bring them back," Connie grumbles, looking away.

Steven looks at the final person present, sitting on the other side of Peridot. "And that’s—"

"Lapis," she interrupts. "Lapis Lazuli."

A blush creeps on Peridot’s face. "Oh, um. Hi."

Lapis gets up before anyone can say anything. "If we’re done with introductions, I’m going to leave."

"Wait, Lapis!" Steven struggles to get up. "You don't have to tell her, but at least stay!"

"I don’t think she wants to meet a murder," Lapis mutters.

"Wait, what?!" Peridot exclaims.

Jasper stands up and leans down towards the blonde. "You never told us why you’re here."

Peridot sinks down. "I... parents... I thought I was gay, okay?!" She blushes again.

Jasper laughs. "Everyone except Steven's dad is gay! Well, Steven's pansexual, and Lapis and Connie are bi—"

Peridot blinks. "I... oh," she stutters, glancing at Lapis.

Steven smiles. "You’re going to fit right in."

"I’m not... actually gay, though. I just thought I was," the green-eyed girl mumbles. She says something else, something Steven can't hear.

Steven notices Garnet frown in the distance. Jasper pats Peridot’s shoulder, saying, "You can be whatever."

"Is she trustworthy?" Connie glares. "Does she pledge that she will stand by us?"

Peridot stumbles up, only to back away from a nearing Connie.

"Of course!” Steven grins nervously. "...right?"

"Look, this is all too sudden for me," Peridot explains, now a yard away from where she sat previously. "This life isn’t cut out for me."

"Huh?" Steven steps towards Peridot. "What do you mean? This is perfect for you!"

"You're scared, aren't you?" Jasper growls. "You're scared of us!"

Peridot laughs nervously, taking more steps back. "Wh-wh-what? No! I'm not, I swear..."

"Do you think we're stupid? Is it because we have—we have guns? Is that why you're scared?"

Peridot bumps into a tree. "N-no," she cries.

"Jasper, let her go," Lapis says from behind Steven. "If she doesn't want to be here, we can't force her."

"I—" Peridot shuffles towards the entrance. "I should go."

Steven swears he could hear regret in her voice, but he doesn't do anything when she turns away to leave. He can only stare in disbelief.

_I really thought she was one of us._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YES THAT WAS A REFERENCE TO HOTEL MAHESWARAN  
> no i have not read it and im never reading it


	3. the judge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peridot regrets her actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for the kudos and stuff!!  
> these chapters are going to have a lot of homophobia, later on more internal, so be wary of that  
> also please give me connverse and bispearl songs

the judge - twenty one pilots

An empty feeling fills Peridot a she runs. Regret swims in her mind.

The pain her ankle, which had been forgotten, returns sharply. The blonde stumbles, realizing all her things are still at the little camp. All her money, all her food... all she had.

Tears run down her freckled face quickly, flashbacks pounding in her head.

_"Pink is gone!"_

_"What happened?"_

_"Rose Quartz killed her!"_

Peridot had taken in the clues; Rose Quartz had a loyal follower named Pearl, a cheerful son with curly brown hair—everyone knows that. The fact that the self-named "Crystal Gems" know about Homeworld... that doesn't exactly help their case.

The blonde slumps against a tree, her left foot throbbing. She should've asked for treatment before meeting everyone; but she knows Steven is the son of a murderer. Or at least, she _thinks_ he is.

The second the word "murderer" flashes in to her mind, she recollects what Lapis had said.

_"I don't think she wants to meet a murderer."_

Peridot doesn't know what Lapis did to join the Crystal Gems. All she knows is that it wasn't good, and that the moody blunette is dangerous. No wonder she ran into the woods; society wouldn't except her. She doesn't belong.

 _I don't belong_ , Peridot thinks with a sinking stomach. _They were going to accept me. It would've just been us, a bunch of misfits together, running away from who knows what._

_I need to go back._

_I'll be free._

_They're the only ones who will take me in._

_But... after what just happened..._

The green-eyed blonde gets up, grumbling about how this would've never happened if she didn't think she was _gay._

_They're all gay._

_I guess I'll just have to live with that_ _fact._

Peridot pushes through the shrubs, shaking. She just rejected them, after all. And now she was going back.

Soon, the blonde sees the patch of bushes that she had recently exited from. She freezes, wanting to go in, but at the same time wanting to leave forever, wanting to forget about it and never come back.

Peridot gulps. Her hands wander to the tips of the leaves, wanting to push them away. She wants to announce to the entire world that she's back, and that she's sorry.

She closes her eyes, and turns around.

* * *

It's hard walking back to the city. Peridot's foot is on fire, and the warm, early September air doesn't help her case.

She would've started another year of college today, she realizes. The green-eyed girl feels nostalgia and even more regret weigh her down.

_If only I didn't tell them..._

There's no chance that her parents will take her in again. Just the thought of lesbian, just that _word_ goes everything they've learned, everything they've taught her.

Peridot doesn't know why she mentioned it, why the thought ever popped up. She never really liked any boys, and always found herself agreeing when she overheard boys talk about girls they liked, sometimes even feeling a pang of jealousy when they started dating. That didn't really mean anything. Right?

Now she has nowhere to go.

_Well..._

The blonde is positive that they won't accept her again.

_It's worth a shot..._

The blonde is mostly positive they won't accept her again.

* * *

Peridot doesn't know what she's doing.

She doesn't know why she's in front of the entrance again.

She knows this is a bad idea.

She decides to go through with it anyway.

The green-eyed girl pushes away the leaves harshly, leaving an opening to the clearing. She crawls through carefully, trying to avoid making any noise. Of course, Peridot is the clumsiest person she's ever met, and face-plants straight to the ground.

 _Great_ , she thinks. _Now, on top of an angry group of people living in the woods and a sprained ankle, I'll have a broken nose, as well._

"What was that?" a voice yelps. Peridot recognizes it; it's Jasper.

 _No, no, no, no, no! Why does the first person to realize I'm here have to be_ Jasper _? She hates me now!_

"Calm down, Jasp. It's probably just a squirrel," another voice says, calming Jasper down. It's Bismuth.

Peridot picks herself up. Her nose surprisingly doesn't hurt, but she can't say the same for her foot, entangled in brambles. "It's me!" she calls, waving her hand vigorously.

Jasper's eyes widen. " _You_!" she yells, storming over toward the tiny blonde. Peridot attempts to crawl back, only getting more stuck.

"Wait!" Bismuth jogs towards Jasper, stopping her. "Let's just hear what she has to say."

"She's a wimp," Jasper mutters, glaring daggers at Peridot.

The green-eyed blonde laughs nervously. "I'm... er, sorry, about yesterday," she manages to say. "I wasn't really thinking, and as Jasper claimed—"

"Just get to the point!" Jasper growls.

Peridot's eyes widen in fear. "Um—o-okay. I want to join. Your cult thing."

Bismuth looks at Peridot solemnly. "You left, shorty. Now it's pretty much up to Greg."

"Who's that?" Peridot asks nervously, trying to crawl out of the brambles.

Bismuth grabs Peridot's shoulders and heaves her out. "Steven's dad. You haven't met him yet."

"I figured," Peridot mutters.

Jasper grumbles, walking towards a large cabin the center of the clearing. "If you want to meet him, follow me."

Peridot gulps. "Uh—coming!" She limps towards where Jasper is standing.

"Here," the larger girl grunts, pushing the door open. Peridot scrambles inside.

The cabin is larger than most Peridot has ever seen, which isn't many. A bed is shoved into the corner of the room, unmade and deserted. It looks like no one has slept in it for over a week. Guitars are laying around in the corner next to it, at least three of them (although there might be more behind those ones). A bathroom is connected to the entire thing, a small hallway leading up to it in the back. Photos are hung up all around the cabin, depicting a young man with a large, flowery-looking woman who has pink curls sweeping down her neck and back. Finally, in the left corner closest to Peridot, a tired man with long hair and a short beard is scribbling things down on paper. Bags are present under his eyes, and he is slouched over seemingly thousands of maps, documents, photos, and hand-written papers.

"Er, excuse me," Peridot says, coughing into her fist.

Greg snaps his head up. "Huh? Oh, you must be Peridot."

"Yeah, this is Peridot," Jasper scowls. "The same Peridot who insulted us all and has the freaking nerve to come back."

"Jasper, wait," Greg sighs, sounding exhausted. He glances at Peridot. "You want to join us?"

"If that won't be too much trouble," Peridot answers, acutely aware of Jasper glowering at her from behind.

Greg stands up, giving her a weak smile and throwing his hands up in the air. "Guess we'll vote."

Jasper looks taken aback. "Wh-what?! She just—she insulted us, and you want to—"

"I don't think she meant any trouble," Greg answers sternly. "Did you, Peridot?"

Peridot shakes her head, fidgeting.

"Who's out?" Greg asks Jasper, looking straight into her amber eyes.

"Connie and Pearl are sword-fighting. Garnet's with Amethyst, looking for supplies. Lapis is probably by the lake, and Steven's out, trying to find some plants for his medical shit."

Greg narrows his eyes. "Language, Jasper."

Jasper huffs, turning around and walking out to the clearing. "Where do we keep her for now?"

"She isn't an animal," Bismuth says, now next to Peridot. The blonde jumps back, surprised.

Peridot looks down at her foot. "Uh... can you guys fix my ankle?"

Bismuth looks at her warily. "Steven's coming back soon. He'll fix you up."

Peridot nods weakly, her mind still on Jasper. "Um, what happens when you guys 'vote'?"

Jasper gives the green-eyed girl a sly, chilling smile. "There are two sides. We choose a side. Greg over here makes the last decision. You can opt out, but if there's an equal number of people on both sides, you'll have to vote. Of course, that won't be necessary in this situation."

" _Jasper_ ," Bismuth scolds. "Don't scare her away!"

"Apparently, I already did that once," the amber-eyed girl mutters.

A crash is heard from the edge of the camp, causing Peridot to avert her attention to where it came from. Steven is stumbling in to the clearing, loads of plants in his arms. The boy squints, his gaze catching Peridot.

"Wait a minute," he breathes loudly. "Is that Peridot?!"

"Yes!" Greg calls back. "Can you fix her ankle?"

Steven blinks. "Oh, yeah! Coming!"

Steven slips into a slightly smaller cabin next to the one Greg was in. He gestures Peridot to come inside. The blonde finds him rummaging through an obviously hand-made drawer, all the patches of wood a different color.

"Here," he grins, pulling out some leaves. He inspects Peridot's ankle quickly. "It's almost healed. It'll only take a few hours to heal. Wrap these around your foot while I get some ice." 

"Oh, um, sure," Peridot responds, taking the leaves. Gingerly, she takes the long leaf and presses it against her ankle, wincing.

Steven comes back a few minutes later with ice. He places it under the blonde's ankle. Chills press through her leg. "It's cold."

"It's ice!" Steven replies, a little confused. "You should probably get some sleep."

"Yeah," Peridot yawns. "I think I should..."

* * *

Peridot blinks her eyes open. Evening light spreads through the medical cabin.

Steven looks up from where he stands. "Oh, good, you're awake! Everyone's here. Also, here's some night stuff," he says, handing her a toothbrush and toothpaste.

"Where'd you get these?" Peridot asks suspiciously.

Steven smiles. "We have a stock. Get ready. You can use the bathroom over there," he points behind him.

Peridot uses the bathroom quickly, brushing her teeth and combing her wild hair with her fingers as much as she can. She stumbles out of the cabin, anxious to face what lays in front of her.

Greg is busying himself with explaining the situation to the attentive Gems. He notices Peridot almost immediately, gesturing her to come over.

Steven has disappeared into the crowd. Peridot sighs, nervous jitters racking her body.

"Okay, you know how this goes," Greg announces. "People who don't want Peridot to join on the right. People who are fine with her, on the left."

The words hurt Peridot. _People who are fine with her_ , as if they don't really care about her.

"My left or yours?" Amethyst asks.

Greg groans. " _My_ left."

Amethyst shrugs, walking over. One for the green-eyed newcomer.

Jasper trudges over to the right of Greg, grunting. Peridot falters.

Bismuth smiles at the wary blonde and heads over to the left of Greg.

Lapis stares at Peridot for a moment. Her expression can only be described as bored. "I'm out," she says, walking past Peridot to a nearby tree and leaning on it, watching the rest.

Pearl turns sharply towards Jasper, Connie following her. Steven picks the side Amethyst and Bismuth are on. Finally, Garnet walks over to the "kick her out" location.

Greg looks around. "Oh, I guess that leaves me."

"Dad, if you come here, it'll be a tie," Steven notes. "Lapis will have to vote."

Peridot glances behind her. The blue-haired girl only narrows her eyes in response to Steven's statement.

"L-look," Peridot stutters. "I know what I did was wrong, and that I shouldn't have just run off—there's probably something wrong with me, too, but, I feel like... I feel like I belong with you guys." She takes a deep breath. "Please, take me."

_Please._

_You guys are my only chance._

Greg sighs and heads over to his left.

The feeling of victory explodes in Peridot, before quickly being subdued once she realizes that the choice is on upon the blue-eyed girl behind her. The blonde whips around. "Lapis, please..." she whispers, her hands in a pleading position, as Lapis strides past her.

Lapis looks at both sides slowly.

_Please give me a chance._

_I want to be free._

Hesitantly, she walks towards Steven.

A wide grin spreads on Peridot's face.

"Yeah, P-dot!" Amethyst whoops. Peridot doesn't even cringe at the nickname.

Garnet only shrugs, walking into a cabin. Connie and Pearl are stone-faced, while Jasper is at a loss of words.

Bismuth cheers, while Lapis shrugs, her arms crossed, her gaze somewhere else.

 _She's a murderer_ , Peridot thinks.

_A murderer that gave you a chance._

_What does that mean for me?_

Steven beams, walking towards the blonde. "You can sleep in the medical cabin for today, but tomorrow move your stuff to Bismuth and Lapis' cabin."

"O-okay," Peridot nods. She struts back into said medical cabin.

The grin on her face stays for the rest of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh yay another rushed endingggg  
> sorry if greg is kind of out of character, i never really looked into him  
> also after that scene in homeworld bound when steven straight-up rejects jasper when she wants to help him jasper is no longer mean scary gem she is just insecure little gem okay  
> also also i know that her ankle shouldnt have healed that quickly since she used it but shhhhhhh


	4. pumped up kicks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lapis teaches Peridot how to use a gun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi i still need connverse songs  
> also idk if any gun targets look like archery targets but in this universe they do  
> 

pumped up kicks - foster the people

Peridot wakes up to warm sun creeping through the window and landing on her face. The blonde's eyes flutter open. She takes a moment to look around, realizing she's in the medical cabin in the Cystal Gem's camp. A wide smile takes over her freckled face as she reaches for her glasses, left on the small, patchy nightstand next to her temporary bed.

 _Temporary_ , Peridot thinks, _since I'm sleeping in the same cabin as Bismuth... and Lapis..._

Peridot shudders. She knows that the blunette is the reason she is in this camp, where she feels like she belong, but that doesn't stop Peridot from being incredibly frightened of her.

She is... a _murderer_ , after all.

Peridot crawls out of the bed, grasping her toothbrush in her hand. She vaguely remembers the way to the bathroom, and finds it fairly quickly. After getting dressed quickly in a dull green t-shirt and black pants, she finds Steven, a question swimming through her mind.

"Hey, um, Steven?" she asks, tapping his shoulder from behind him.

The curly-haired boy turns around, a little startled. "Yes, Peridot?"

"What do I do today?" Peridot grins.

Steven blinks. "Oh. I guess Lapis could teach you how to use a gun."

Peridot's eyes widened. "Wh-what?!"

"You’re going to have to learn how to use one eventually," Steven explains, a slightly concerned look on his face.

"You don’t use one!" the blonde retorts.

"I’m a medic. And I do know some basic skills, although I would prefer to just throw a punch."

Peridot frowns. "Why can't I just 'throw a punch' like you?!"

Steven purses his lips, an apologetic look on his face. "If you want Jasper to teach you-"

"I'll go to Lapis," Peridot squeaks, interrupting the medic. "I think I should... er, give Jasper some space." She starts stunning around.

"I mean, you should get to know Lapis, since you'll be sleeping with her," Steven suggests.

"What?!" Peridot yelps, blushing hard.

Steven's eyes widen. "Not like that! I meant in the same cabin as her!"

Peridot shuffles away, before pausing and turning around again. "I'm, where is she?"

Steven smiles. "In the clearing. That way." The chubby boy points to a small gathering of large leaves, in the middle of two large patch of trees.

Peridot assumes that the two patches intertwine, and that creates a large, open space, and her assumption is correct, She slowly stumbles throw a small pathway that leads to the clearing.

The first thing she sees are multiple targets rung around the clearing, close to the edge, near the trees. Peridot's gaze follows them, until it falls upon the blue-haired girl in the middle.

Lapis wears a worn black jacket over her blue crop top, completed with jean shorts. Her choppy, electric blue bangs cover the top of her deep blue eyes. She holds a gun in each hand.

A _gun._

A smirk is on her lips as she drops the gun in her left hand. Both hands on the other gun, the blunette looks around, her gaze skimming over a frozen Peridot.

Then, Lapis blows out bubblegum. _Bubblegum_. Bright pink, and Peridot is positive that she isn't hallucinating.

Before the blonde can say anything, Lapis shoots.

The bang rings through Peridot's ears.

"Oh my stars," Peridot whispers, edging closer. From what she can see, the blue-haired girl had hit a perfect bull's-eye.

Lapis flips the gun into the air, crouching down swiftly to pick the other one. After catching the one in the air, she starts shooting both of them alternately, in rapid succession. Every bullet hits the target. Lapis blows off the smoke spouting from the top of each gun.

Peridot's feet seemed planted where they are, even though the urge to move closer is boiling inside her.

"Are you going to stay that far away from me forever?" Lapis smirks, her voice cocky. She starts reloading the firearms.

Peridot feels heat pool on her cheeks. "I—well, um—Steven told me to come here. So I c-could learn how to use a gun."

"Which... you don't want to do?" Lapis guesses, raising an eyebrow.

"Not really," Peridot mumbles.

"Come here," Lapis gestures. Peridot gingerly walks towards the gunner. "Take this," the blue-eyed girl says, handing Peridot one of the guns. "Now you can cross shooting a gun off of your bucket list."

Peridot's eyes widen. She wraps her hands around the handle slowly, staring at the weapon.

"Be quick on the trigger," Lapis instructs. "Aim at the bull's-eye of the target, keep it level with your sight..."

Peridot brings a shaky hand up, closing one of her eyes, hoping it would help her focus. Lapis doesn't say anything, choosing to observe the green-eyed girl's actions instead.

_Bang!_

Peridot, realizing she subconsciously closed her other eye, opens both of them quickly. Her bullet is nowhere _near_ the bull's-eye, instead on the pole attached to the target.

"Oh, shit," Peridot breathes. "I, um, sorry about that. I guess I'm not the best at this."

Lapis smiles. "It's okay. Not everyone is a prodigy, like me."

Peridot hears a small giggle come out of her mouth. _I'm enjoying this_ way _too much._

Suddenly, Peridot feels Lapis snake her arm around the blonde's shoulder. She takes a hold of Peridot's hands, helping her move the gun up. Peridot feels blood rush to her face, and she can smell the bubblegum on Lapis' breath. Peridot swallows, trying to focus on the gun.

"Mmm... here. Now, don't close your eyes," Lapis illuminates. "Calm down and push the trigger."

_Bang!_

Peridot eye's widen when she realizes that she's actually hit the target this time, the bullet stuck on the border of the outer yellow ring and the inner red ring. " _I_ did that..."

Lapis gives the blonde a soft smile. "Try it by yourself again."

Peridot obliges, hitting the inner blue ring this time. She tries again, hitting the outer red ring. Finally, she hits the inner red ring twice. Peridot pushes the trigger again, but nothing comes out. "Huh?" she examines the tip of the gun.

"It's out of ammo," Lapis explains. "It's a six-shooter gun, so it only has six bullets."

"Oh."

"Do you have any questions?"

Peridot looks back at Lapis. "When was the first time _you_ shot a gun?"

Lapis falters. Realization empties into Peridot, as she remembers Lapis' words.

_"I don't think she wants to meet a murder."_

Peridot had hung out with a murderer. She had _enjoyed_ hanging out with a murderer. She had _blushed_ at a murderer—even though Peridot is very much straight, of course.

Right?

Lapis sighs. "I'll tell you—"

"Um, anyway," Peridot grins nervously. "Where did you get bubblegum?"

Lapis' eyes light up again. "I stole it from the local convenience store, near the edge of this forest." She blows out a bubble.

_Oh, great, she's a thief, too._

"Ah."

"Do you want to try again?" Lapis asks, glancing at the gun in her hand.

"Oh, sure," Peridot replies. "How many bullets does that one have?"

Lapis shakes the gun. "None. Let me reload it."

Peridot watches as Lapis' hands move swiftly over the gun. Soon they're in the blonde's hands, and she's aiming at the target.

"Next time, we can try on moving targets," Lapis suggests.

 _There's going to be a next time?_ Peridot thinks, a grin plastering on to her face. She pushes the trigger.

The two of them hang out at the clearing for the rest of the day, Lapis eventually teaching Peridot how to reload the gun after she gets tired of jamming bullets in it every few minutes.

"Your aim is getting better," Lapis breathes, eyeing the target.

Peridot stands proudly next to her. "I'm learning from the best, aren't I?"

Lapis cocks an eyebrow up. "We've got to work on your flirting."

Peridot's eyes widen, her face turning bright red. "I wasn't—that wasn't flirting!"

Lapis snorts, picking up her gun and tossing it in a small shed located at the edge of the field. "C'mon, I need to show you something. Put our gun in there."

Peridot, still blushing, follows Lapis' actions. She sees the blunette walk past the targets, and follows her quickly.

"Where are we going?" the green-eyed girl asks.

Lapis smiles. "You'll see."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cue peridot learning how to use a gun wayyy too fast  
> she has some motivation ;)


	5. best friend for hire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connie dwells on the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi wow an update am i right

best friend for hire - anthony amorim

Connie sighs, walking into the clearing slowly. Another sleepless night. Another few hours only spent remembering her parents, and what she could've been.

The girl smiles a little when she sees Steven hobble over towards her. "Are you okay?" he asks, huffing. "I saw you slip into the clearing last night."

Connie purses her lips. She sits down on a nearby rock, patting the spot next to her. "I... I don't know, Steven. It's just, that new girl—"

"Peridot," Steven interrupts. "Look, I know why you're suspicious of her, but when I told her she had to use a gun it looked like she was... she was scared, okay? She wouldn't hurt a fly unless we tell her to."

Connie leans back against the rock. "I remember when I was like her."

"Connie," Steven snickers, "she's older than both of us."

"Mentally, she hasn't seen anything."

"I dunno, Connie, I think she has. She was kicked out of her own house, and she lived in the streets for a while."

The younger girl looks towards the trees lining the edge of the camp. "Remember when we met?"

Steven scooches towards her. "That was... I was being pretty weird."

"You're _still_ weird, Steven. It's charming."

Steven blushes. "I—well, I was also kind of getting in your personal space."

"I didn't really mind. How would I have met you?"

The boy hesitates for a minute, before saying, "Well, there are other methods."

Connie laughs, a sweet, clear ringing. She looks at her friend. "Are you busy today?"

Steven gives her a bittersweet smile, getting up. "I have to collect more materials, and Amethyst's been sneezing a little. If I have time later, I'll come, I swear."

Connie sighs. "Don't rush yourself," she says softly as Steven walks away.

Connie groans, slipping down the rock. She slumps against it, hugging her knees, as her eyes close and her mind drifts off to when she was just an innocent little twelve-year-old, stuck at a park.

_"Hi!"_

_Connie's jerked up. Her focus was torn away from her book, and was instead on a chubby boy, a few inches shorter than her, sitting next to her with a smile and a ukulele._

_I'm Steven!" the boy—Steven—greeted. He strummed his ukulele, clearing his throat. "I couldn't help but notice that you're sitting alone."_

_How long had it been since Connie had looked up from her book? Five minutes, right? Connie glanced at her watch, realizing that in fact had been_ twenty _minutes._

_"Do you think that you could use a new friend?" Steven continued. He hesitated, before adding, "'Cause I sure can."_

_Connie stared at the boy awkwardly._

_"Um, I'm offering."_

_The brunette replayed what the boy had just said in her mind. "Wait, are you okay? My mom knows a couple of therapists—"_

_"Wh—no, I'm fine! I just don't get out much."_

_Connie gasped. "Is the relationship you have with your parents healthy?!"_

_Steven's eyes widened. "I'm fine! We're fine! That's not what I meant."_

_Connie blushed. "Oh. Uh, sorry."_

_Steven waved his hand, gesturing that it was fine. "_ _I think I'm interesting enough to hold a conversation; as long as it's not about sports."_

_Connie giggled. "You don't play any sports, do you?"_

_Steven shrugged. "Don't get the time."_

_Connie narrowed her eyes. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"_

_The curly-haired boy grinned. "Yeah! At the parade last year!"_

_Connie smiled. "I don't really go to those. Do you?"_

_Steven took a deep breath, and he looked like he was about to make a big decision. "Look, I—I'm hoping this doesn't change anything, but... I live in the woods."_

_The girl's eyes widened. "You_ what _?!"_

 _Steven pursed his lips, and then continued frantically, "We're fine, honestly! It's not a troublesome life, and I get_ plenty _to eat—"_

_"That's so cool!" Connie exclaimed. She stopped, calming down. "As long as you, um, don't struggle. Or something."_

_Steven stood up, plucking his instrument. "I'm not really close with a lot of people," he explained, a sad tinge in his voice. "And well, it doesn't take a lot for me to open up, as you can tell."_

_Connie smiled back._

_"I think you're cool, and I think I'm weird, so we'll get along pretty well!" the boy continued. Connie giggled as he sat back down. "I can be your very best friend," he finished proudly. "Or something."_

_"You don't even know my name," Connie laughed lightly._

_"Well, what is it?"_

_"I'm Connie. Pleased to meet you."_

_"Pleased to meet you, too!"_

Connie's eyes flutter open. She sinks into another memory.

_"I think I should cut my hair," Connie said. Steven and her were sitting on the ground, staring up at the clouds._

_Steven turned towards her. "But I like it like this!"_

_Connie giggled, a blush on her cheeks. "It's too long, Steven."_

_Steven sighed. "Maybe you_ should _cut it... a little bit past your ears?"_

_The brunette contemplated the suggestion for a minute. "I think you're right. I'll ask my mom. You're good at this stuff."_

_"Hair, I am an_ expert _at," Steven sniggered. "Just not clothes. I have ten sets of the same pair of clothes, and some of my dad's clothes for when I'm older."  
_

_Connie laughed. "I wouldn't change a thing."_

Connie smiles, until she remembers the thing that had been haunting her. The reason she was here, living in the woods, in the first place.

_"Steven," Connie sobbed, stumbling into his arms._

_"Connie! Are you okay?" he pulled away from her slightly, so he could get a look at her face. "Wh-what happened?"_

_"They're dead," Connie responded hollowly. "There was a bomb, and... they're gone. Forever."_

_Steven gasped. "Connie, are you alright? Come on, let's get you to my camp," he tugged at her gently.  
_

_Tears ran down the brunette's face, memories piling on top of each other. Steven whispered encouragement in her ear, but it wasn't helping much._

They're _gone_ , _Connie thought._ I'm never spending another moment with them.

_The thoughts caused her to cry even more, sobs racking her body._

_"It'll be okay, Connie," Steven whispered._

_"Where am I going to g-go?"_

_"You can live with me. We'll make a really good team."_

_Connie mustered up a bittersweet smile, even though it felt like she was dying inside. Like her parents. Who were dead. "I'd like that."  
_

_"I'll stick around, until the very end," Steven smiled, leading her into the clearing. "I'm your best friend, after all."_

Connie opens her eyes again, feeling a gentle nudging at her shoulder.

Steven is standing next to her. "Are you okay? You've been sitting here for a few hours."

Connie gets up. "Wanna do something?"

"Sure! I'm free now," Steven grins. "Just, here," he hands her some soup.

Connie gulps it down eagerly. She hasn't eaten for an entire day, and she realizes that as she takes seconds and thirds. After Connie's done, Steven and her head talk to each other softly as they head towards the exit. Stars are splayed across the night sky. Connie registers that she's been sitting around for a _while_.

"H-hey!" a nasally voice says from behind the bushes.

Lapis pushes past the shrubs, a teasing smirk on her face.

"Wait for me!" Peridot continues.

Connie looks at Steven, confused. Steven simply shrugs and keeps walking. "Special spot?" he asks.

Connie smiles, nodding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I REWROTE THIS CHAPTER THREE TIMES BECAUSE I KEPT ACCIDENTALLY CLOSING IT AND RELOADING IT KDHSKFSHFK  
> that's why it's rushed and short, sorry about that kjsdhfksfhs


	6. outrunning karma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lapis discusses her past with Peridot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for school shooting and death and implied emotional abuse

outrunning karma - alec benjamin

Lapis pushes the large leaves aside, revealing a shadowy spot of grass next to a road.

"Um, Lapis?" Peridot squeaks from behind her.

The blunette turns her head, locating the struggling blonde. She quickly grabs her companion's hand, pulling her in.

Peridot bumps into Lapis' chest, immediately reeling back and blushing ferociously. 

"Sorry!" the green-eyed girl says quickly.

Lapis smirks, leaning down so she's face-to-face with Peridot. "Let's sit down, shall we?"

"Y-yes," Peridot peeps.

Lapis drops down, patting the spot next to her. She pulls her knees to her chest, gazing at the road.

"So, um... why are we here?" Peridot asks reluctantly.

The blue-haired girl sighs. "Million dollar question. Why are any of us here? Why did I end up—"

"That's not what I meant," Peridot interrupts, earning a glance from Lapis. The blonde looks away quickly, continuing, "Although, er, if you'd like to tell me how you got here..."

Lapis smiles sadly, looking at a passing car. The darkening light makes the car glow against the road.

"It wasn't first-degree murder."

"Wh-what?!" Peridot's eyes widen, and she stumbles back.

Lapis internally face-palms herself. "Um, I mean—it was an accident."

The blonde shuffles back to her original position. "So... how did that _accident_ happen?"

The blunette purses her lip. Memories of running away fill her mind to the brim. "I, well—high school," she chokes out.

"Hm?"

"All that bad shit—it happened during senior year. School was almost over, anyway, and I had turned eighteen a few months ago, in December. I was—I was planning to run away." Lapis shifts, feeling a small insect crawling beside her. "I—I couldn't hide, so I ran. My parents, they were... really controlling. They did some bad stuff with me."

The blue-eyed girl feels Peridot's stare burning into her. _She's really interested, huh?_

"What do you mean you couldn't hide?"

Lapis blinks. "They'd find me. I didn't have any friends to live with or anything."

"Oh."

The gunner looks away awkwardly. "Um, anyway—I decided the date. I was going to leave at the dead of night. Most of my stuff was in my room, but I had a few essentials stashed in my locker, in case I had to leave early."

Peridot raises an eyebrow. "Why your _locker_?"

Lapis shrugs. "Believe me, it was good that I did that. Anyway—"

"What did you parents do?" Peridot muses quietly. "You don't _have_ to answer, but, um..."

Lapis picks at the grass beneath her feet. "They kicked me out of our house for no reason. They taunted me, they _trapped_ me when I didn't get a good enough grade, or I got mad, or _anything_."

"Trapped?"

"Locked me in the bathroom."

Peridot audibly gulps. "I—oh. Continue."

"They did it all for no reason," the blunette whispers loudly, even though she knows the shorter girl is referring to something else. "I woke up, knowing I would suffer. It's just a game of waiting for when in the damn day." She takes a deep breath. "Anyway—finals were coming up. Everyone was busy with their own thing. No one really communicated with each other, except for study groups. It was pretty much the same for me," she admits, "except with loads more studying. And then, one day, on the day of the stupid finals, someone—there was a gun."

" _What_?!" Peridot yelps, stumbling back again. "You mean, like... a school shooting?"

"Yes!" Lapis snaps. She covers her mouth with her hand quickly. "S-sorry. Yeah, it was a school shooting." She shifts back, contemplating on what had happened next. "Somehow, someone _with_ a gun had been injured, maybe even dead. I was near my locker, trying to get out. Someone... they pointed their gun at me—and I—I panicked, and I—he was about to _kill_ me, I couldn't run, I had to fight—"

"Lapis!" Peridot grabs the taller girl's shoulder. "Are you okay?"

The blue-eyed girl looks at the road, stone-faced. "I _killed_ him. I picked up the gun, and I _shot_ him. He didn't deserve to die. No one deserved to die, even the ones who started it. I... I'm just waiting to die now. Karma's going to get back at me. I'll finally escape," she mutters.

Peridot sits beside her in silence. Lapis can feel the blonde staring at her.

Lapis continues uncomfortably, "Uh, then I came here. I just kept running until I met Steven. I was kind of skeptical, but it was a place to live," she shrugs. "I... I hurt Jasper too."

"How do you hurt _Jasper_?" Peridot blurts out.

Lapis smiles softly. "It doesn't have to be physical, hurting someone. I broke up with her—"

"You were with _Jasper_?!"

" _Yes_ , I was with Jasper. We were both... too controlling. After that, I felt like I couldn't trust myself anymore. She wanted to get back together... but I couldn't trust myself to handle it." Lapis bites her lip, looking at the ground. "I... we never really said sorry to each other."

The green-eyed girl gets up. "Well, you should probably do that."

"Great advice, Peri," Lapis deadpans, standing up besides the blonde and walking towards the clearing.

"I give _amazing_ advice," Peridot scoffs. "I _am_ the Great and Lovable Peridot!"

" _L_ _ovable_ , huh?" Lapis smirks, leaning in close to her companion.

The freckled girl flushes. "I—well—that's, um—"

Lapis laughs, pushing the leaves to the camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i updated  
> sorry for the short chapter (again) which i didnt proofread at all because whats proofreading  
> also am i the only one who thinks lapis is a top :"(


End file.
